Races of Hollow

A character's race represents their 'people' in their larger sense, to include primarily their species (i.e. centaur), but can also represent social groups (i.e. seaborn) or significant physical transformation (i.e. vampire). A character's race helps determine their look, psychology, and, in some cases, society.

When creating a character there are two important choices: race and class.

The honorable lords of the skies, the avians are one of the elder races. The Avians set themselves apart from other humanoids with their large, exquisitely feathered wings of darkest ebony or pearly white. Pointy ears and a general solid eye color. The Avian Empire has endured hidden many millennium. It has said all of the races ancients cities have fallen from the sky. They are good and aligned to the powers of light for the most part but somewhat haughty and unforgiving of lesser species. Their major foe is and always has been the vampires, believing them to be a damnation for being the creation of an immortal.

Centaurs are creatures with the head and torso of a man or woman attached to the body of a horse, including all four legs and tail. They are typically characterized by their animalistic nature, being flighty and untamed. In mythology there have been centaurs with noble and good natures, but they can be of any alignment. They tower over the average humanoid and are often considered magical in nature.

Draconians are half-dragons. One parent would have been a dragon while the other was of another race, typically humanoid but not limited to humans. This is because of the fact that most dragons, when taking a different form, take that of a man or woman, thus allowing such a mix of races to occur. They can be of any alignment, but typically show little magical ability, due to being half-breeds. They carry the inherent racial traits of both parents but in lesser quantities. In other words, while stronger than the average person, they are not as strong as a dragon. They may also show specific dragon traits such as an enhanced sense of smell, eyesight, or hearing. Because of their draconic blood, they live longer than the average human, averaging 150 years if given good health.

The saurian beasts are large, intelligent, strong, and highly protected against the bite of steel and magic in dragon form, because of the scales of their hide. These same defensive scales can be razor-sharp to the touch, and it’s rumored that is why the dragon has a hoard—for the bed of gold is the only bedding that is soft enough to be comfortable, but hard enough to withstand the shredding edges of his skin. Though some can take humanoid form, most prefer their steely claws to a sword. They are highly attuned to magic, and are usually friendly toward the other ‘magical’ races, whatever their alignment. However, they usually remain chaotic good at best, more often watchers of the world than active participants in the events that shape it. They can live for thousands of years, and usually retreat to some private corner of the world far before it’s ever their time to die.

Drow, or 'dark elves' as they are sometimes called, are an evil, twisted offshoot of their distant surface relatives. Their unique dark black skin, silvery white hair, red eyes, and striking sharp features make the drow immediately distinguishable from the other various elven creatures. Having been exiled from the surface world eons ago, the drow dwell underground, away from sunlight and the rest of the world. Though drow have historically been a Matriarchal society, and many houses still continue this eons-old tradition, a male uprising in recent years has led to a Patron seizing leadership as first House of Trist'oth. They despise and distrust most every other race, including most of the "evil" races; though a special kind of hate is reserved for their light-skinned surface counterparts. The drow have their own language, customs, art and various unique magical implements. They are raised in an environment of extreme cruelty, continually faced with the need to kill or be killed. While good drow have been known to exist, they are exceedingly rare and are often raised outside of drow society. Thriving on treachery and conspiracy, and seeing no shame in stabbing their enemy in the back, the drow are a dangerous and formidable opponent. Most drow have a natural affinity for use of magic and poisons, with these skills being further reinforced by formal training. Though capable of long life, most drow do not meet their life expectancy because of their extremely violent societal nature.

Dryads are women who live in the trees. They are most closely related to elves and pixies, with pointed ears and a very strong tie to magic. Often they are viewed as enchantresses or seductresses, for their songs and voices can lure men deeper into the forest, even to their deaths. They are typically flighty and playful, whatever their alignment. Because of their strong ties with nature, a dryad may be affected when her forest and her tree are. If a logger cuts down her tree, she won’t die, but she may lose the will to live. They are beautiful in an unearthly way.

Dwarves are stout, hardy creatures, usually only reaching three to four feet tall. They look like short, plump humans, and take pride in their long beards. Their homes are made underground more often than not, where they mine for minerals and ores, and craft weapons of the finest caliber in their forges. They are masters at enchanting and imbuing weapons with magic, and this is their preferred method of dealing with it, rather than spell-casting. They are known for their physical strength despite their size, and have a resistance to magic. Typically jovial, hospitable, and friendly, they can be of any alignment.

Elves, like their drow counterpart, are a proud race, prone to disdain of all others for they think themselves superior. Their manner usually seems cold and aloof, their manners while impeccable are curt and chilly. They are another ‘magical’ race, being highly attuned to magic in everything. Calling the forests their homes, they have a keen ability to use both a bow and a sword, a skill taught to the sons and daughters while still young. They have their own language, customs, and religion, typically favoring deities of nature or the forest in particular. The hatred between drow and elf runs two-fold, and elves despise the under-dwellers just as much as they are despised by them. While they can be of any alignment, their natural disposition is toward a chaotic good, or neutral. Their long lives (living an average of 800 years) allow them wisdom not granted to many other races, for they age on a ratio of 1:7. In other words, for every seven years that passes, they age about one human year. Unlike humans, elves are typically small to the point of frail-looking, and physically weaker than other races. What they lack in brute strength they make up for in magical ability. They typical have fair hair, light almost pale skin, and light-colored eyes.

Fermin are the newest addition to the Hollow races but will not allow this to hinder them in anyway. Born of unnatural and chaotic magic the 'ratmen' have made it their purpose to extinguish all sentient life that does not submit to their order and the order of their creator. The Fermin are vicious bipedal rat like beings and have an unmatched cunning and stealth, they would much sooner kill you from the back then the front. In a pack they are fearless and willing to die for their cause. After living off the sewage and rubbish of humans for so long the Fermin have identified humans as the vermin and have resolved to snuff out the human race and claim their place among the great powers by any means necessary.

These cat-like humanoids are quick, but not physically powerful. Their finesse clearly makes up for anything lacking, lending them well to classes such as an assassin or a rogue/thief. They typically sport a cat’s tail and ears at the very least, though some are covered entirely in fur. While not born with any inherent magical ability, they can easily learn. Just as the other races that involve some mixture of animal, they may have a sharper sense of smell, sight, and sound than typical humans.

Giants are very large, towering over most every other creature. They have overpowering brute strength, enough to take on even a dragon. However, their minds are simple, and their intelligence is so low that when they feel anger they may attack without strategy or thought. They can be of any alignment, for being easily led by a charismatic and convincing leader they will lend their strength to any cause. Rarely, if ever, are they able to use magic, merely because any learning it would require is beyond their limited smarts.

Gnomes are mysterious creatures, much like their closest relation, the dwarf. They live underground and often spend their time with stone and steel, not afraid to use magic when necessary and usually not bothering with enchanting items. They are more mischievous than dwarves, often having great fun with practical jokes and the like. Typically, they’re even smaller than dwarves, and still stocky and strong. Often the magic they use centers around illusions. They can be of any alignment but typically remain neutral.

Half-elves are a mixture of elves or drows and another race, usually human. They have only slightly pointed ears, and while a tad smaller then other humans, don’t seem quite as frail as their elvish or drow relatives. If one parent was an elf, the child might possess a knack for magic, and forestry, including being able to learn to use a bow quite easily. If one parent was a drow, there is a chance the child might be dark-skinned. In both cases, they would be considered half-breeds by drows and elves, and primarily despised as such. Their life expectancy would fall somewhere around 150 years, with their aging process slowed only slightly compared to humans. They can be of any alignment, but would probably be influenced for good as an elf, or evil as a drow.

Several centuries of evolution apart from their Kelay brethren has resulted in a much different elf residing in the port town of Rynvale. The High Elves call themselves because they are the descendants of a faction of elves who should have inherited the throne long ago. The experience of having their birth rite taken from them has left some of these elves bitter but they have not strayed from the light. Ridding themselves of nature worship and their druid ways these elves are well armed, decked out in Inthoril mail and have made their living from the sea. Cosmopolitan and well educated the High Elves are rich and powerful and have much to offer Hollow if only one can convince these picky elves to share it.

Hobbits do not often rise above four feet tall, but their size helps them where others fail. They are nimble, quick, and silent, making them great with lighter weaponry. They are as resistant and disinclined with magic as dwarves, and possibly are a mix somewhere along the lines of elves and dwarves, for they bear the pointed ears of the former race. Jovial, hospitable and friendly as the dwarves as well, they can be of any alignment but tend to remain neutral. They’d be much happier drinking and merrymaking than fighting. They often call grassy fields and forests their home.

Humans are the only race without inherent weaknesses or strengths. They haven’t the brute strength of the orc, giant, or dragon. They haven’t the high level of magic ability that elves do. They also have no inherent alignment, ranging the spectrum from lawful good to lawful evil. Because of their ability to learn, they can practice any profession and have any class available. Their race doesn’t have a particular hatred to any other, but are often seen as common, for in most lands humans comprise most of the population. They are very adept at strategy, however, which can make them one of the more dangerous races should you find yourself pitted against them.

Jershers resemble humanoid frogs and can appear in a variety of breeds such as poison dart jersher, marbled jersher, bull jersher, etc. This race is the result of Naga experimentation on frogs and toads. They are good-hearted, loyal and peaceful by nature, and rule by the collective rather than the individual, which means that they prefer councils to kings. Because they are the youngest race in Hollow, and their genesis is the consequence of botched scientific experiments, the jersher are desperate for recognition as a legitimate race, and seek to build that respect through alliances with other races, save for the Naga and Lycans who they view as their natural enemies. They also aren't fond of trolls and ogres who view jershers as food.

Lycan is short for the term lycanthrope, which comes from Greek and means wolf human being, or werewolf. In other words, a shapeshifter, who can shift from humanoid to wolf when triggered. There are two types of lycans: those born lycans and those bitten or scratched by a lycan to become one. Born lycans may always exhibit some sign of their race, such as always having a wolf’s tail, or ears, much like a feline. Turned lycans will be predominantly in their original form, turning into a wolf only when the change is brought about usually by moonlight, or excessive pain or rage. Born lycans can usually control their shifting, and maintain control while in wolf form, so as not to go into an animalistic rage, unlike turned lycans who basically forget who they are when in animal form. Lycans, due to the aggressive nature of a wolf, tend to be of a chaotic or evil alignment, but can be anything, especially if they were sired and therefore good before the change took place. Some claim the blood of a vampire is poison to a lycan. Lycans have no brute strength unless in wolf form, and tend to be more lithe and speedy than strong even then.

Minotaur are massive human looking creatures, nearly nine feet tall. Minotaurs have the heads of bulls on a human body, and the fur that covers them can range in color, though brown and black are the most common. The legend of the minotaur comes from a story once told that a man wanted to be as strong as a bull, so a God turned him into a minotaur. They obviously are one of the strongest races in Hollow, and without suffering the same simple-mindedness that plagues ogres and giants. However, they still cannot use magic easily if at all. All minotaurs are male and must breed with a female of another race; every child that is born from a minotaur is male and minotaur as well.

Nagas are half humanoid, half serpent. Often possessing the humanoid characteristics from the waist up, they have two arms and a humanoid head. Their tails make up their lower limb, allowing them to easily swim and crawl over land at a greater pace than their two-legged counterparts. However, they are ever needing to stay moist to assure that their scales never dry up, for if this were to occur, great pains would succumb their bodies, rendering them almost incapacitated until great care is taken to revive their flesh. They derive their powers from the god that created them, possessing great strength but only a select few, the Ha-Nagas, having the ability to be mages. These Ha-Nagas are seen as the spiritual leaders of the race, the greatest among them revered as a god amongst the living.

Ogres are related to giants. They are powerful, yet slow, and not the smartest of the races. While many giants may look more human in nature, an ogre looks more like that of a giant orc. Ogres never use magic, unless it is a potion, weapon, or armor, for they don't have the concentration to cast spells. However, once again their strength is overwhelming. They could crush most anything else with one blow. Like giants they have no inherent alignment, for anyone with a quick tongue could convince them to join a cause.

Vile and ruthless, orcs are unparalleled warriors. They are known for rushing in with little regard, making them formidable and dangerous foes. An orc has a better chance of working a spell than a giant or ogre, but the effort would tax him immensely. They tend to be evil, and in fact, are too violent to be anything but chaotic whatever their alignment. Their alliances tend to lie with goblins, the two races being similar. They are also fond of forming raiding parties, attacking humans, drows, and all others alike, pillaging villages and settlements.

Pixies are small, winged creatures like fairies. They use pixie dust to work most of their spells, being very magical creatures. They are so tiny that chances are you wouldn’t be able to notice any of their distinct features, and their voices would be very chirpy and light. Some pixies, using their magic, can enlarge themselves to varying sizes relative to humans, whether that of a child’s height or a full-grown but petite adult. As this usually requires much of their magic to be sapped, however, they prefer to flit around from shoulder to shoulder rather than walk on two feet like the rest of the populace. They can be of any alignment, for while their tie to the elves might lead them toward good, their mischievous natures also lead to trouble at times.

Preklek are one of the few races in the realm of Hollow that are not native. They are extra dimensional warriors which were left behind when an invasion of the lands was repelled.
Lizard like in appearance, they are tall, strong warriors, with a resilient immune and repair system. All Preklek posses advanced knowledge, however, lack the ability to use it in the lands of Hollow. They have no magic ability at all due to them not being from the realm of Hollow. They have a grayish skin complexion, however, this changes from Preklek to Preklek, and it is believed they can alter their skin colour to match their surroundings, giving them the ability to appear almost invisible. They reach maturity in days, but live in excess of 200 years, once at maturity, they appear to cease aging due to their species natural ability to regenerate. This ability, and their extra-dimensional nature also makes them one of the few species actually naturally immune to the vampire and lycan virus.

Seaborn is a collective word that encapsulates mermaids, selkies, kelpies, and the rare and elusive kraken. They have lived in the waters between Rynvale and Cenril since the fall of the Saurian empire to the ruin of many sailors and fishermen. They revere Selene, though they are not particularly pious, and they self-govern through a system that assigns hierarchy to species, with the kraken commanding the most respect. This respect is not to be confused for monarchy, for the seaborn bow to no one. They are extremely territorial and vicious, and though they have few possessions, those few they they do have are symbolic of the sea and thus fiercely protected.

The Shadow Gnomes are an offshoot of the gnomish race that is currently a full member of the enchanted kingdom. They are similar in size and shape but not in mine. The Shadow Gnomes are fiercely xenophobic and will only trust a selected few outsiders, this extreme attitude means the Shadow Gnomes will even avoid fighting non gnomish creatures simply because they cannot stand the sight of them. However they have been known to trade with other evil races and keep slaves. The Shadow Gnomes have a unique form of magic known as “Shadow Craft” that allows them to manipulate shadows for various ends including almost instantaneous transport and camouflage as well as combat. Their skills in engineering are second only to the dwarves of Craughmoyle but the fact they can combine sorcery and mechanics has led them to create many outlandish and dangerous contraptions.

Trolls are the twisted offspring of elf and orc heritage. Trolls tend to be tall and thin and to be tall is to have higher social status. Trolls are considered rather ugly by the more refined races of Hollow due to their wiry frames, disproportionate limbs and large hob noses but trolls do not care as they have a style and fashion all of their own. One of the most unique powers a troll has is regenerative ability. It seems that no matter how much damage is inflected upon these gangly giants it will go back as long as the wound was not inflicted by fire. Trolls live in tribal societies and are a part of the horde grouping of races, in particular they are very much tied to the ogres who they tend to live amongst due to human encroachment of their ancestral land, leading to much feuding and bitterness between the two races.

Undead are adept with either one extreme or the other. An undead learned with the blade usually doesn't have enough wit left to master magic. As with all beings, there are exceptions. As it takes a powerful necromancer to raise the dead to begin with, these beings usually serve the one who gave them their ‘second’ life, and can be of any alignment. Undeads are technically immortal—unless killed they cannot merely die of old age. Depending on how long the creature was dead and buried before it was raised, its body will be in varying states of decomposition. This decomposition halts when the undead is ‘reborn’ but does not reverse, unless more magic is used.

Vampires are an ancient race. Vampires cannot breed and can only be created by being sired by another vampire. A vampire needs to drink blood to survive, and usually the blood of the living. It is how they manage to keep their technically dead body alive, by stealing blood from others. Immortals—meaning, they cannot die of old age they must be killed—they are as old as the dragon, and have collected wisdom along the way. They also have an inherent speed, much more amplified in born vampires than sired ones, and are adept at wizardry. Their bodies can repair themselves over time, but not of fatal injuries. Contrary to rumors, garlic has little effect on vampires in Hollow, while holy water is only minimal. A stake through the heart, however, would kill anyone. They have a weakness in the fact that dragon blood, if ingested, can kill them in a matter of minutes. The blood of no other race is known to affect them in quite this way. By their very nature to feed off other living things, vampires tend to be chaotic, and evil, but they can be any alignment.

Unofficial Races

There are also unofficial races available, but these are not listed in the race choices during character creation. These unofficial races follow special guidelines and require approval from the administrators.